Then, a week ago, the Deseret Morning News reported that two of the fliers mailed under the state GOP's name were, in fact, criticizing Matheson for votes supporting bills and/or proposals sponsored by other members of the Utah GOP delegation, President Bush and national Republicans. Finger-pointing ensued: Who was responsible, the state GOP or the National Republican Congressional Committee?

The Utah Democratic Party filed an official complaint with the Federal Election Commission over the actions. And Utah Republican Party chairman Joe Cannon said if he'd known what was in some of the fliers, he wouldn't have sent them out.

If fact, two remaining fliers criticizing Matheson were not sent out by the state GOP.

Example 3: Dirty tricks.

Several unidentified fliers have been hitting Utah households as the races wind down. One, out of a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm, slams various Salt Lake County GOP officeholders, accusing them of offenses they had no connections to.

A major funder of the pro-Amendment 3/ban-gay-marriage political issues committee can't be identified.

And then late last week, GOP state House candidate Brice Derek Carsno challenged the voter registrations of nearly 1,500 residents of his Holladay-based District 37.

It appears most of those names are Democrats, some of whom have lived and voted in the area for years. Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen said it appears that Carsno's actions are a misuse of the voter registration challenging process, and she's meeting with the County Attorney's Office and has notified federal Justice Department officials, who could investigate the matter as a criminal offense.

And yet, with all the problems Utah Republicans have had this year, their candidates are either contending for or leading in races where many expected Democratic victories.

• Swallow has closed on Matheson. A new Deseret Morning News/KSL-TV polls published Sunday shows Matheson with a 10 point lead among all registered voters, the race nearly a statistical tie among voters most likely to vote Tuesday.

• Ivory actually leads Democrat Peter Corroon in the county mayor's race.

• At-large County Councilman Steve Harmsen leads Democratic challenger Jenny Wilson, as well.

• Republicans hold huge leads in the U.S. Senate race, in the 1st and 3rd District U.S. House contests and in the governor and attorney general races, the survey by Dan Jones & Associates found.

State Democratic Party chairman Donald Dunn said Sunday it's too early to say Democrats missed a real chance this year. "We have the best slate of candidates in years. We're going to win some big races Tuesday.